System and method for desensitizing the activation criteria of a rollover control system

• US 6,961,648 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2003
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Lu, Jianbo, Salib, Albert Chenouda
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US10/619,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20040024512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 340437-443, 340/436, 340/635, 340/431, 340/459, 280/5.5, 280/5.501, 280/5.502, 280/5.504, 280/5.506, 280/5.514, 280/6.15, 701 36- 38, 701 70- 72, 701/1, 701/48, 180/167, 180/271, 180/197, 180/282, 303/146
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0162 mainly during a motion involving steering operation, e.g. cornering, overtaking B60G17/0164 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/0194 transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/9124 Roll-over protection systems, e.g. for warning or control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/122 Pre-actuation in case of ESP control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/22 Banked curves
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/03 Overturn, rollover
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17554 specially adapted for enhancing stability around the vehicles longitudinal axle, i.e. roll-over prevention road vehicle drive control systems for roll-over prevention otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17555 specially adapted for enhancing driver or passenger comfort, e.g. soft intervention or pre-actuation strategies
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/18 responsive to vehicle weight or load, e.g. load distribution using electrical circuitry on regulation means B60T8/17; B60T8/30 takes precedence; responsive to weight and speed condition B60T8/58
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/243 for roll-over protection

Abstract

A method of densensitizing includes determining a relative roll angle, determining when the vehicle is in a transitional maneuver, and when the vehicle is in a transitional maneuver, setting a roll signal for control to the relative roll angle, reducing control effort and controlling a safety system (38) correspondingly.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a vehicle comprising:

determining a relative roll angle, said relative roll angle being an angle between a body and wheel axis;

determining when the vehicle is in a transitional maneuver;

when the vehicle is in a transitional maneuver, setting a roll signal for control to the relative roll angle; and

when the vehicle is not in a transitional maneuver and the relative roll angle is less than a threshold, setting a reference bank to the maximum of a previously determined reference bank or the relative roll angle plus a wheel departure angle.

2. A method of controlling a vehicle comprising:

determining a relative roll angle;

determining a wheel lift status; and

when the relative roll angle is above a non-transition threshold and the wheel lift status is grounded, adjusting a reference bank angle to the maximum of either the reference bank angle or the relative roll angle plus a wheel departure angle.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 further comprising generating a roll signal for control in response to the reference bank angle.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 further comprising operating a safety system in response to the roll signal for control.

5. A method as recited in claim 3 further comprising a vehicle rollover in response to the roll signal for control.

6. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the wheel lift status is a grounded status at one of two inside wheels.

7. A method of operating a vehicle comprising:

determining roll condition;

holding a peak brake pressure to counteract rollover;

determining a first wheel departure angle;

determining a second wheel departure angle after the first wheel departure angle; and

when the change of the first wheel departure angle and the second wheel departure angle is less than a threshold, releasing the peak brake pressure.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 further comprising determining a roll rate, when the vehicle is below a predetermined roll rate, releasing the peak pressure.

9. A method as recited in claim 7 further comprising counteracting a rollover in response to the brake pressure.

10. A method of operating a vehicle comprising:

determining a drive torque;

determining a wheel departure angle; and

when the drive torque is below a first threshold and the wheel departure angle is less than a second threshold, initiating active wheel lift detection.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein initiating comprises requesting an engine torque reduction.

12. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein initiating comprises requesting a brake pressure command to a wheel.